


The Day It Began

by ladywentworth



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble Sequence, F/M, FWLP (Fluff With Little Plot), Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2018-12-23 01:53:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11979621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladywentworth/pseuds/ladywentworth
Summary: Mako works at a coffee shop to help out his little brother. A regular customer comes in to order her usual, but today is different. Coffee shop AU!Makorra.





	1. the day it began

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this fic posted on FFN.net for ages, but I have at last decided to upload it here as well. I'm fond of it even though it's incomplete (though this was written as a collection of drabbles, there's no real plot).

Mako turns away and starts making a new pot of espresso even though there’s already a fresh one from twenty minutes ago. He lets Tahno, the sharp-mouthed barista who gets on his nerves a lot, take the customer that just walked in.

“Oh, hello again, Kor- _rah_ ,” he hears Tahno greet with his faux-sensual voice. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Tahno says the last part with no attempt at all to mask his sarcasm. Mako focuses on scooping the right amount of coffee grounds into the filter. How many was it again? Four? Crap, he forgot already.

“Shove it, Tahno,” answers Kor- _rah_. “Just give me my usual.”

“And what’s that, exactly? I’m pretty sure what you’re looking for isn’t on the menu, sweetheart.”

Mako’s hand shakes too much and some coffee grounds spill onto the counter. Stupid Tahno. Why was he antagonizing their most frequent customer? She’d run off to some other coffee shop and then who would tip them as generously as her again?

“Blonde roast, three creamers, one pump of sweetener and one pump of hazelnut. Or did you take that off the menu, pretty boy?”

The espresso is brewing. Mako moves on to straightening the coffee bags and brushing off the wayward coffee grounds with meticulousness.

“Maybe,” Tahno says. “Hey, Mako, can you get this broad her coffee?”

Mako glances over his shoulder to glare at Tahno but accidentally meets the jewel blue eyes of the customer and he fights back the heat of the blush that creeps up his cheeks and ears and slowly turns to face the front counter. “Yeah, of course.”

Tahno smirks and turns back to the girl. “While Mako takes his sweet time preparing your coffee just how you like it, you can pay me and take your seat, sweetheart.”

Mako doesn’t look up again as he hears her grumble something and there’s the jingle of change and the ring of the cash register.

“You know, I am definitely not going to miss seeing your face all summer, Tahno,” she says clearly after Tahno finishes giving her the change.

What did that mean? Mako stirs in the creamers and furrows his brow.

“Oh, my feelings are hurt. How ever will I survive?”

Mako couldn’t remember Tahno saying anything about going away for the summer, but then again, he didn’t pay much attention to his coworkers. He just worked at this stupid coffee shop for extra cash to help pay for his little brother’s membership at his mixed martial arts gym. Making friendly with the other baristas wasn’t required.

Mako swears he can hear her stick out her tongue at Tahno but doesn’t say anything else and moves to wait for her coffee on the other side of the counter, which Mako is closer to. He tries not to think about this as he adds two pumps of sweetener and two of hazelnut (she says she only wants one of each but really she likes her coffee sweet) and stirs those in carefully. He secures the lid on and takes out a marker from his apron pocket and writes out _Korra_ on the side of the cup.

She’s leaning on the counter edge, dark hair carelessly held half-up by a blue clip, playing with the coffee stirrers. The day is warm enough that she’s not wearing her usual blue jacket, showing off a sleeveless blouse that reveals the shape of her strong arms and line of her delicate collarbone.

 _It’s just a girl. She’s not going to bite you._ Mako repeats this to himself as he approaches with the coffee cup in his hands.

“Uh, here’s your coffee, Korra,” Mako says, setting the coffee in front of her.

She looks up with a wide smile that makes Mako want to punch himself for reacting so stupidly with a blush. “Thanks, Mako.”

She straightens and digs into her bookbag and fishes out some bills. “Here. I’d put it in your tip jar, but I don’t want you to share it with pretty boy over there.”

She reaches over and puts a couple of bills into his hand. Her touch is warm and Mako stares at her as she does this.

“Uh, thanks,” he answers, his attempt at returning her smile pitiful. Mako wants to kick himself.

Korra grabs her coffee cup and winks at him, sending Mako’s heart into a stammering frenzy. “I’ll see you next time.”

Mako watches her go and ignores the knowing smirk on Tahno’s face.

He looks down at the tip she gave him—she’s never done that before—and just before he’s about to stuff it in his pocket he notices a white piece of paper sticking out in between the money. Mako pulls it out and reads the scribbled words on it, chuckling to himself because she's right.

__

_since we both know you’re too shy to ask for my number_

__

_Korra_

__

_555-555-1423_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> up next: the first time they hung out


	2. the first time they hung out

Mako hated coffee.

He used to like it, but then he got a crappy job working in a coffee shop and suddenly even the word _coffee_ nauseated him.

“Blonde roast, three creamers, one pump of sweetener, one pump of hazelnut.”

But here he was, in another coffee shop, willingly, standing behind the girl who made his heart beat faster and his palms sweaty in ways--good ways--he couldn’t seem to explain. And he was going to have to order something or this "hanging out" thing would be awkward.

“Actually, make it two pumps of sweetener and two of hazelnut,” he said to the girl at the register.

Korra glanced at him over her shoulder with a glare. “No. That’s not my order.”

Mako shrugged. “It’s what I always give you.”

The look on her face made Mako smile smugly in response. When the barista looked at them questioningly Korra turned around and agreed to have the coffee the way Mako made it and stomped to wait at the other end of the counter. After Mako placed his order and paid for their drinks, he walked over to Korra with his hands in his pockets.

“I can’t believe it,” Korra grumbled at him. “You already know me better than I know you.”

This actually made him laugh, despite the nerves he was feeling. “That’s why we’re here to get to know each other, right?”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Gosh, is that what we’re doing?”

“Blonde roast for Korra and earl grey latte for May-ko,” a barista called a couple of minutes later.

Nothing could stop the flush that threatened to spread over Mako’s entire face when Korra’s face lit up completely at the sound of their drink order.

“Tea, _May_ -ko?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for the positive response! I get really happy when I get the e-mail that one of you has given this little story kudos or left a comment. :)
> 
> up next: the second time they went on a date


	3. the second time they went on a date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted the second chapter just before this one, in case you missed it!

Mako was always late to everything. Living with a carefree little brother who couldn't even find his socks half the time did that to you.

Today’s reason for being late was Bolin’s truck running out of gas on the highway and only Mako could save him. Korra was beginning to get suspicious.

“You’ll understand when you meet him,” Mako said as he drove them to the movies.

“He’ll understand my fist punching his arm for making us late to the movie,” Korra muttered, crossing her arms. “Why does your brother need you for everything, anyway?”

Mako had been glancing at Korra with a smile—she was so cute when she pouted—and looked forward at her question, trying to fight the cloud of seriousness that surrounded his relationship with his brother. “He’s used to relying on me. I don’t mind.”

“I get that, but don’t you think he relies on you too much?”

Mako's hands tightened around the steering wheel. “I’m all he has, Korra. I’ve been his rock ever since our parents died.”

He wished he hadn’t said anything because usually that meant people staring at him with pity and saying an insincere “I’m sorry”, but when Korra touched his arm gently and said “I’m so sorry, Mako, I didn’t know” he didn’t reject it like he usually did.

“It’s fine,” Mako replied, trying to smile again. “I knew I’d have to tell you eventually. I _had_ been hoping it would be on our tenth date or something and I could break it to you while you’re busy with dessert.”

Korra laughed and flicked his arm. “Shut up. The cake from the other night was really good and it’s your fault you didn’t get to it first.”

“I hope you’re not that way with popcorn,” Mako said, stifling a laugh when Korra punched his arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> up next: the third time they got caught making out


End file.
